Free Cyber Security Training (Update)

Check out these Free Cyber Security Training certificates:

http://www.teexwmdcampus.com/main.k2/

Registration is required, but the courses are fully online and free through Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) of the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS). It is unclear at this time how CE credits can be recorded.

IA General / Non-Technical

Information Security for Everyone
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-175-W

Cyber Ethics
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-174-W

Cyber Law and White Collar Crime
Under Review by DHS

IA Technical / IT Professional

Information Security Basics
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-173-W

Secure Software
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-178-W

Network Assurance
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-138-W

Digital Forensics Basics
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-139-W

IA for Business Professionals

Business Information Continuity
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-176-W

Information Risk Management
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-177-W

Cyber Incident Analysis and Response
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-169-W

Free Cyber Security Training Certificates

Check out these Free Cyber Security Training certificates:

https://www.act-online.net/

Registration is required, but the courses are fully online and free. CEUs are available through the University of Memphis for a small processing fee.

IA General / Non-Technical

Information Security for Everyone
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-175-W

Cyber Ethics
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-174-W

Cyber Law and White Collar Crime
Under Review by DHS

IA Technical / IT Professional

Information Security Basics
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-173-W

Secure Software
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-178-W

Network Assurance
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-138-W

Digital Forensics Basics
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-139-W

IA for Business Professionals

Business Information Continuity
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-176-W

Information Risk Management
DHS Approved: TEI Course Number: AWR-177-W

Cyber Incident Analysis and Response
Under Review by DHS

What is the Job Design Framework for Information Systems?

The job design framework (Pearlson & Saunders, 2005) is used by information technology professionals to assess how emerging technologies can affect work within the organization. The goal is maximum effectiveness of the information system within the organization.

The relatively simple framework of job design questions enables the linking of information system decisions with organizational strategy. Hence, key characteristics of jobs are designed with respect to information systems to facilitate performance, effectiveness, and overall satisfaction of the worker. The following questions are asked:

What tasks are to be completed? What are the outcomes, inputs, and transformation of the inputs into outputs?

How will the tasks be performed? Specialist? Computer?

Who will complete the tasks? What skills? What department? What workgroup?

Where will the tasks be performed? Locally? Remotely? Dispersed group?

How can information systems increase performance, effectiveness and satisfaction of those performing the tasks? How can humans and information systems work together? How will information technology transfer be accepted and even embraced?

Reference

Pearlson, K. E. & Saunders, C. S. (2005). Managing and using information systems. A strategic approach (3rd ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.

General Manager's Role in Information Technology Management

General Managers are today expected to take on the following roles with respect to Information Technology management:

• Knowledgeable and conversant in current information technology to engage MIS managers and other mid-level managers
• Help to initiate and design information systems, outsourcing and support
• Aware of how information technology benefits an organization
• Willing to invest in advanced information technology to help grow the business
• Able to draw daily information from software and systems to hold employees accountable
• Briefed on information already available in the organization
• Aware of ways in which the current system can be upgraded and expanded
• Need to know enough about information systems to train new employees to be productive users of information
• Able to understand how the organization's information systems add value to the customer

Bernard Madoff Ponzi Scheme Video

Since this is an general MBA content blog, I thought you might enjoy watching the PBS Frontline video about the Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme. I've introduced this video into several of the courses I teach as a springboard for discussions about accounting, information systems, and quantitative reasoning. This is an optional activity that takes about an hour. Students need high bandwidth Internet.

I ask students to try to identify what went wrong with "Wall Street" to allow Mr. Madoff to run such a fraudulent enterprise and evade detection for decades, including some of the following questions:

Did you notice that Madoff's investment firm had a fake information system that was used to produce simulated trades and client statements?

Who was to blame? Investors? Accountants? SEC Regulators? News Media? Mr. Madoff's Employees? Fund Managers? Who?

Do you see how helpless investors can be when even truthful information is reported by publicly-traded companies...?

Here is the link:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/madoff/

Free Online Computer Classes for Workforce Development

HP Learning center - free online classes
Free, online classes, available 24/7: www.hp.com/go/learningcenter

Microsoft Office and Adobe

· Adobe Photoshop CS2: advanced
· Microsoft® Excel 2007, advanced part 1: analyzing data
· Microsoft® Excel 2007, advanced part 2: charts and graphics
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: create a PivotTable
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: extreme
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: filter data
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: intermediate
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: link and unlink content between two workbooks
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: record a simple macro and edit it in VBA
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: take a tour of the interface and learn basic skills
· Microsoft® OneNote: creating and using notebooks
· Microsoft® OneNote: getting started
· Microsoft® PowerPoint 2007: create a new slide master
· Microsoft® PowerPoint 2007: customize the PowerPoint interface
· Microsoft® PowerPoint 2007: introduction
· Microsoft® Word 2007: advanced
· Microsoft® Word 2007: intermediate
· Microsoft® Word 2007: take a tour of special features
· Microsoft® Word 2007: take a tour of the Ribbon
· Microsoft® Word 2007: use the Track Changes feature


Operating systems

· Microsoft® Outlook 2007: tips and tricks
· Microsoft® Windows Vista Sidebar: adding gadgets
· Microsoft® Windows Vista advanced customization: back up the registry
· Microsoft® Windows Vista advanced customization: increase bandwidth for network and internet connections
· Microsoft® Windows Vista: advanced customization
· Microsoft® Windows Vista: find files using basic Search
· Microsoft® Windows Vista: troubleshooting and maintenance
· Microsoft® Windows Vista: tune up your PC
· Microsoft® Windows Vista: use Disk Cleanup


·Programming and web

· Adobe Dreamweaver CS3: introduction
· Adobe Flash CS3: beginning web animation
· Building your first web page UPDATED!
· Computer programming: introduction
· Intermediate website design
· JavaScript: web programming basics
· Microsoft® Access 2007: introduction
· Microsoft® Expression Web: building websites
· Microsoft® Project 2007: introduction


PC solutions

· Combating spam and spyware (with podcast)
· Evaluating desktop virtualization solutions
· Exploring and implementing Gobi and 3G technology
· Firewall basics (with podcast)
· HP Backup and Recovery Manager: schedule backups
· HP ProtectTools: security at your fingertips (quick lesson with podcast)
· Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (quick lesson with podcast)
· Simplify your IT infrastructure: reduce total cost of ownership
· Wireless networking with Bluetooth


Servers and storage solutions

· Disaster preparedness through virtualization (quick lesson)
· ERP: resource planning solutions
· Introduction to storage networks
· Linux 101: a beginner's guide
· Linux 201: administering Linux for users
· Linux 301: introduction to Linux system administration
· Network attached storage basics
· Protect your data: back up to tape, disk and the network
· Understanding Microsoft® Windows Server 2008
· Virtualize your infrastructure: deployment


Business skills

· Build your business identity with a new logo
· Color your business: develop a marketing color scheme
· Create marketing materials that align with your goals (quick lesson)
· Create your own marketing materials with free templates
· Funding a new small business
· Improve your personal networking skills
· Marketing writing tips: five mistakes to avoid (quick lesson)
· Meet the HP Smartphone: get connected, get more done (quick lesson)
· Promote your business with social networking
· Save money, be energy efficient
· Ten tips for printing better marketing materials in-house (quick lesson)


Computing and networking

· HP Backup and Recovery Manager: restore files
· HP Backup and Recovery Manager: schedule backups
· IT infrastructure and its challenges: outsource or hire? (quick lesson)
· Laptop PCs: basic troubleshooting and repair (quick lesson)
· Laptop PCs: troubleshooting wireless problems (quick lesson)
· Network administration best practices
· Networking 101
· Servers 101
· Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (quick lesson with podcast)
· Six steps to computer security (quick lesson)
· Graphic arts
· Color your business: develop a marketing color scheme
· Create marketing materials that align with your goals (quick lesson)
· Create your own marketing materials with free templates
· Disaster preparedness through virtualization (quick lesson)
· HP Backup and Recovery Manager: restore files
· HP Backup and Recovery Manager: schedule backups
· IT infrastructure and its challenges: outsource or hire? (quick lesson)
· Marketing writing tips: five mistakes to avoid (quick lesson)
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: create a PivotTable
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: filter data
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: link and unlink content between two workbooks
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: record a simple macro and edit it in VBA
· Microsoft® Excel 2007: take a tour of the interface and learn basic skills
· Microsoft® Windows Vista Sidebar: adding gadgets
· Microsoft® Windows Vista advanced customization: back up the registry
· Microsoft® Windows Vista advanced customization: increase bandwidth for network and internet connections
· Microsoft® Windows Vista: find files using basic Search
· Microsoft® Windows Vista: use Disk Cleanup
· Microsoft® Word 2007: take a tour of special features
· Microsoft® Word 2007: take a tour of the Ribbon
· Microsoft® Word 2007: use the Track Changes feature
· Save money, be energy efficient
· Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (quick lesson with podcast)
· Six steps to computer security (quick lesson)
· Ten tips for printing better marketing materials in-house (quick lesson)
· Wireless networking with Bluetooth (quick lesson)
· Writing a high-impact business plan

http://www.hp.com/go/learningcenter/

Enterprise Information Systems: The Problem of Integration

The time and attention of humans is required to integrate the information created, analyzed, and stored by departmental functions. Many impediments to accounting information system integration within the enterprise are easily identifiable, the chief of these being the existence of disconnected information systems that are native to individual functional areas of the organization. These native, function-based information systems are not integrated in any automated sense; instead, cross-functional information systems are integrated by the ultimate software system: people.

Of course, the entire organization must grow to survive, and business process growth inevitably requires storage and retrieval of additional information in departmental database servers, the nexus of business process growth. Such inter-departmental integration challenges are common, as managers require performance reporting that reflects a highly fluid business environment. Even the information systems within departmental functions can grow and morph to introduce intra-departmental integration challenges.

Integration can be partially achieved by integrating similar types of systems and finally the reporting output from those systems (Dunn, Cherrington, & Hollander, 2005). Information system planning can reduce the number and scope of information pockets stored in the various functional silos within the business enterprise by building systems from scratch or obtaining enterprise wide accounting systems. The key concept to understand in information system integration is to re-engineer business processes along with concomitant accounting information systems from the ground-up and avoid partial patching of information systems to achieve necessary integration. However, the low hanging fruit in accounting system re-engineering may be simply capturing and recording the same information with shorter elapsed time and fewer inaccuracies, not necessarily re-engineering the entire business process. The trade-offs seem a matter of project scope.

Reference

Dunn, C., Cherrington, J.O., & Hollander. A.S. (2005). Enterprise information systems: A patterned-based approach, 3rd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.